Strangeness and Charm
by stretch the faunlet
Summary: So strange it was to them both, yet so charming it felt as well. ZATR. One-shot.


**Strangeness and Charm**

_Hydrogen in our veins, it cannot hold itself, my blood is pouring._  
><em>And the pressure in our bodies that echoes up above it is exploding.<em>  
><em>And our particles that burn it all because they yearn for each other.<em>  
><em>And although we stick together it seems that we are estranging one another...<em>

_"Strangeness and Charm," Florence + The Machine_

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><p>She felt the concrete sidewalk under her back, slick with a cold liquid that burned her skin, liquid that was still falling from the sky and had taken her by surprise in a sudden spasm of pain that shot itself into her nerve system, restraining her from running away to shelter, to safety.<p>

She had been tackled by someone, a blur of a certain dark pink uniform and green skin covered by contacts in the eyes and a black wig. She wasn't sure if he was attacking her, but it didn't feel like it. The pain had blinded to where she couldn't tell who it was in front of her, but she had a feeling who it was, and it made her feel strangely warm and safe despite the pain she could feel seeping through her uniform and onto her skin underneath the clothing, skin that never met the sun but stayed hidden for years, except in private moments, rare and private they were, un often as well.

She blinked her eyes, trying to get a better look at the familiar figure under the blur of agonizing pain. She noticed the green skin even under the blurring of her vision, and Tak suddenly remembered the blur coming at her. He hadn't screamed, but he could tell he was tensed with worry above her. She felt oddly content, and opened her mouth to ask him if he was who she thought he was, but only a groan of pain escaped from her lips, and she gel a reassuring hand on her cheek. She relaxed, knowing she'd be alright.

Her body was lifted, and she curled up slightly in the arms of the ex-Invader Zim, her breathing slightly rigged and caught in her throat.

Zim ignored the pain of the rain falling onto his clothing and face, stinging his skin like acid, tearing and ripping, both he and Tak sizzled, their skin bringing about smoke into the air. He didn't know where his new-found strength came from, but he had a feeling it was a strength brought forth by his determination to protect the Irken who came back after all these years, the Irken he grew towards in the months following her return. Their hate brought together like opposite chemicals mixing and mashing, finally compatible with one another, yet held secret from each other. He was going to get her out of the storm no matter what obstacle came his way.

Her eyes burned with confusion; his eyes burned with determination.

After a moment, Tak found her voice, "Zim...?" The question had burned itself into her mind and came out in a breath. Though blurry-eyed, she reached a hand up and out, cupping his cheek in the palm of her gloved hand.

He froze. What to say, what to say... He felt nervous to answer for some reason, the rain above pouring down reminded him to keep moving, but the touch of her hand brought him to somewhere other than reality, her touch felt like sparks against his cheek, and it felt magical to him. Never had he felt this way before. "Yes," he answered, coming back to reality. He kept on running with her slumped in his arms as she fought for consciousness against the black void of sleep that threatened to take over her body and mind.

She smiled up at him. "Zim..." she traced her fingers against his face as he continued running ahead to safety. "I had a feeling it was you..."

He wanted to respond to that, but thought against it. "We have to get out of the rain," he replied, tone serious and hard but held a meaning of worry and fear at the thought that she might not make it if he stayed out in the open for to long. Thunder roared across the sky, startling him briefly. He glanced around for any safe haven, and noticed the only option: A falling apart, vacant home just up the street.

It would have to do. He had no choice and cared only for Tak to be out of the rain's merciless fury.

He sprinted up to the home, the sound of her ragged breathing pushing him forward, faster, quicker. _Hurry, hurry, hurry,_ that one word repeated itself in his brain as he ran, already near the home and towards the front steps.

_Hurry._

* * *

><p>"Tak...?"<p>

The pain subsided, fading away into nothing, replaced by a cold feeling that made her shiver as she came to, back to reality. Her eyes opened, the rain hitting against the glass pane of the window beside her. She felt safe despite the frozen feeling her body felt. Her lips were nearly frozen, her skin ice cold. Her clothes were still soaked with wetness.

When her eyes opened, she met his face above her's. She blinked, staring at him. "Zim?" She began to remember what had happened outside. "Did you...?"

He simply nodded, his eyes no longer filled with worry, but instead filled with relief, satisfaction. "Are you okay?" He noticed her shivering and decided to ask and let her know he was there with the question. Be reassuring if she needed it.

"Better than I felt out there," she replied with a grin, sitting up with his help. She braced herself up on her elbows as she stared at him.

Their eyes locked onto one another, yet neither of them said a word. Thunder let out another roar outside, but neither of them noticed.

"So..." he began after a moment, chuckling nervously.

"So..." she repeated, biting her lip with a hesitation of sorts. The coldness of her skin felt like multiple needles stabbing her all over.

Zim leaned closer slightly, a force deep within him willing him to move forward. Make a move, make a move.

She noticed this and instantly, the memory of what happened re-presented itself in her mind, reminding her. "You saved me..." she stated slowly.

He stopped moving forward. His came up to scratch the back of his head; that darn wig began to itch with the irritation that burned inside him. _Make a move,_ a voice repeated. _Make a move._ "Y-yeah," he said quietly, "I did." He moved forward again, slower than before.

She could read it in his face, the yearning for something more, something from her. A reaction, a body movement, she didn't know which, but felt the need to give in to the same feeling underneath the hardened shell of her heart. She found herself leaning forward toward him as well. "Thank you..." the words came out in a breath, the warmth of her breath hitting softly against Zim's face, so close they were in that small room in that abandoned home they were, just inches away from each other...

_Make a move._

Their eyes closed just as their lips touched, his arms opening up and wrapping themselves around her waist, drawing her in as she crawled into his arms, allowing him to bring her forward to him. It felt as though their combined touch of their lips was bringing a marvelous and magnificent feeling to them both, like a chemical reaction that brought a pleasant satisfaction to the both of them.

So strange it was to them both, yet so charming it felt as well.

Such a _strangeness and charm_ it was, that neither Zim or Tak noticed that, outside, the harsh rain had ceased.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Another one-shot based on a new song from Florence + The Machine called "Strangeness and Charm", this time for ZaTR. :D I haven't written a ZaTR one-shot in a while so... I hope this makes up for it.**


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